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#1
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Lifeboat Drill.
As far as I know at the beginning of every cruise passengers must present
themselves at their lifeboat stations wearing their life jackets. This is a good idea. At least one knows for sure where the lifeboat station is. Who needs to go wandering around a sinking ship in the middle of the night looking for Lifeboat #13? The business of standing around in the hot sun, or being squeezed with 500 others into a ships lounge, to wait around for twenty minutes or half an hour for no very good reason is not a very good idea IMO. On three Princess cruises I have been on, we have been crowded into a lounge. Better than standing in the sun. Here we were shown how to don a life jacket properly. On the last cruise, after the lifeboat drill had been announced, we arrived early at the lounge. We picked a couple of comfortable chairs near the door. At once we were told that we had to move to the back of the room so that the other 500 or so passengers could squeeze in. It occurred to me that if we were in an emergency situation, water was coming in, and the ship was slowly sinking, I would not care to be directed to the back of the room where I would be the last to leave. In fact, I do not think that any sane person would put himself or herself in such a position. There could well turn out to be a major confusion if such a policy was to be enforced. That is the policy of first in, last out. Instead of standing around in the hot sun, or sitting in a crowded lounge wondering how long it would take to get out in a hurry, why not have everybody show up at their lifeboat station with their life jacket properly fastened. Report to a ships officer, get your name ticked off on a list. Then go back to the cabin, get rid of the lifejacket, and start the cruise in earnest. No unnecessary standing or sitting around. Sounds like a good idea? Not really. How would the captain reach those passengers who did not show up and who probably do not know where their lifeboat station is or how to put on a life jacket? Tudor Jones. |
#2
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Lifeboat Drill.
On Jun 14, 9:23*am, (Tudor Jones) wrote:
As far as I know at the beginning of every cruise passengers must present themselves at their lifeboat stations wearing their life jackets. *This is a good idea. *At least one knows for sure where the lifeboat station is.. Who needs to go wandering around a sinking ship in the middle of the night looking for Lifeboat #13? The business of standing around in the hot sun, or being squeezed with 500 others into a ships lounge, to wait around for twenty minutes or half an hour for no very good reason is not a very good idea IMO. There has to be a better way I am sure ... but it is interesting how each line does it somewhat different ... I do think they need all together so that the crew can gauge the crowd better ... The Pacific Princess ... had us all in an air conditioned lounge ... no standees ... all seated ... Quick but still complete ... and pleasant enough none rushed off afterwards to their staterooms ... a leisurely end of drill ... Celebrity seemed to have the worst of both worlds ... first the crowded lounge ... (casino actually last time) ... then out in the hot sun ... easily twice as long as any other ... phase two seemed to be part of a crew drill where we were just special effects ... Other cruise lines were somewhere in between ... but still rather uncomfortable and a chore to return to the stateroom with the mass of people around ... but one would experience a similar crowd if there were an emergency evacuation ... |
#3
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Lifeboat Drill.
Tudor Jones wrote:
Instead of standing around in the hot sun, or sitting in a crowded lounge wondering how long it would take to get out in a hurry, why not have everybody show up at their lifeboat station with their life jacket properly fastened. Report to a ships officer, get your name ticked off on a list. Then go back to the cabin, get rid of the lifejacket, and start the cruise in earnest. No unnecessary standing or sitting around. Sounds like a good idea? Not really. How would the captain reach those passengers who did not show up and who probably do not know where their lifeboat station is or how to put on a life jacket? I suspect that besides USCG requirements, that there's a ceremonial/historical component as well: "This is how we and the other lines have always done it." -- Nonny You do not make a stupid kid smart by handing him a diploma. Schools need standards to measure the education actually absorbed by children. Don’t sacrifice our smart kids to make the dumb ones feel good about themselves. |
#4
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Lifeboat Drill.
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#6
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Lifeboat Drill.
On 6/15/09 1:56 PM, in article , "Jr"
wrote: "Patricia Martin Steward" wrote in message ... On 14 Jun 2009 13:23:10 GMT, (Tudor Jones) wrote: The business of standing around in the hot sun, or being squeezed with 500 others into a ships lounge, to wait around for twenty minutes or half an hour for no very good reason is not a very good idea IMO. The secret is not to go until the *very last minute*. You're not crammed in at the back with people on all sides, and you're there the least amount of time but still get the necessary instruction. I am sure that these "muster drills" as Princess calls them are a requirement of some maritime organization. The announcements typically refer to requirements of "international law", which presumbably refers to maritime treaties. My question is this - If the ship is taking on water do you really think the passengers in your muster section will calmly and quitely wait around in the lounge for instructions? What is the scenario you consider more likely? Total panic? Fighting? Substantial cash payments to crew in charge of assignments? |
#7
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Lifeboat Drill.
On Jun 15, 8:12*am, peter wrote:
My question is this - If the ship is taking on water do you really think the passengers in your muster section will calmly and quitely wait around in the lounge for instructions? What is the scenario you consider more likely? Total panic? Fighting? Substantial cash payments to crew in charge of assignments? Well make sure you have your sign and sail card for those charges ... Personally I do think that the people will wait around calmly though nervously for instructions ... Situations like these where survival is in the hands of others make people listen to those others ... |
#8
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Lifeboat Drill.
number6 wrote: .. Personally I do think that the people will wait around calmly though nervously for instructions ... Situations like these where survival is in the hands of others make people listen to those others ... If you think back to the fire on the Princess ship, I think it was the Star, people did listen to instruction and do what they were told to do. sue |
#9
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Lifeboat Drill.
On Jun 15, 5:12*am, peter wrote:
On 6/15/09 1:56 PM, in article , "Jr" wrote: "Patricia Martin Steward" wrote in message .. . On 14 Jun 2009 13:23:10 GMT, (Tudor Jones) wrote: The business of standing around in the hot sun, or being squeezed with 500 others into a ships lounge, to wait around for twenty minutes or half an hour for no very good reason is not a very good idea IMO. The secret is not to go until the *very last minute*. *You're not crammed in at the back with people on all sides, and you're there the least amount of time but still get the necessary instruction. I am sure that these "muster drills" as Princess calls them are a requirement of some maritime organization. The announcements typically refer to requirements of "international law", which presumbably refers to maritime treaties. My question is this - If the ship is taking on water do you really think the passengers in your muster section will calmly and quitely wait around in the lounge for instructions? What is the scenario you consider more likely? Total panic? Fighting? Substantial cash payments to crew in charge of assignments? I expect a band will start playing "Nearer My God To Thee." |
#10
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Lifeboat Drill.
PeterL wrote:
I expect a band will start playing "Nearer My God To Thee." Mrs. Nonny's first actions when the drill is called is to hide my life jacket. -- Nonny You do not make a stupid kid smart by handing him a diploma. Schools need standards to measure the education actually absorbed by children. Don’t sacrifice our smart kids to make the dumb ones feel good about themselves. |
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